Trunk.



PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

3'. A. H. VILLMOWL TRUNK.

APPLIOATION mmm'mov. 12, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SEEET l.

No. 817,351. Human APR. 0; 1906.

I J A. H. VILLMOW.

TRUNK APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1904.

mrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 10, 1906.

Application filed November 12, 1904. Serial No. 282,397.

To all whom it Wtay concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. H. VILLMOW, residing in Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trunks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to trunks, and has for its object to provide means for supporting trays in the trunk in such a manner that when the trunk cover is opened the trays will be automatically raised above the level of the trunk-body, the connection between the trays being such that the lower tray may be slid in its support from beneath the upper tray, so that its contents may be accessible.

Another object of this invention is to provide common supporting means for a pair of trays by which the trays may be moved together during the openin and closing of the cover of the trunk to wlnch they belong, the lower tray being capable of sliding in its support, so as to project in front of the upper tray. With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the devices and parts and combinations of parts as herein set forth and the equivalents thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a trunk with trays shown in elevation and embodying one form of this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same trunk with its cover raised. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the open trunk shown in Fig. 2, the trunk-body being sectioned. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the means for supporting the trays shown in the above figures, parts being broken away and sectioned to illustrate the tray-locking engagement. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of said tray-supporting means. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are similar views of modifications thereof. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the tray-supporting means shown in Fig. 8, and Figs. 10, 11,

and 12 are front elevations of further modi fications of the tray-supporting means.

Referring to the construction illustrated by Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, 15 represents a trunk-body of usual construction having the ordinary cover or lid 16 hinged thereto and opening in the usual manner. A pair of vertically-swinging arms or links 17 are pivoted to each end of the trunk-body 15 near the top thereof and extending parallel with each other. They are also pivoted to an angle-piece or track-plate 18, which is parallel with the bottom of the trunk and is adapted to be swung by said links into the trunk; but owing to the links being of the same length and parallel to each other said track is maintained in its parallel relation to the bottom of the trunk throughout its movements.

Each track 18 has pivoted to it, preferably upon the same pivot upon which the rear link 17 is pivoted, a connecting link or stay 19, which is pivoted at its other end at the point 20 to the cover 16 of the trunk, so that the opening of the trunkcover will cause said connecting-links 19 to swing the tracks 18 on their parallel links 17, raising the tracks out of the trunkbody into a position, as

shown in Fig. 2, when the rear links 17 strike against the back of the trunk-body 15, and so constitute a stop to limit the opening of the trunk-cover.

The tracks 18 are of a d-shape in cross-sec' tion, with hooked formations at their lower edges, and an upper tray 21 is provided with hooked flanges 22 at the lower edges of its ends which pass over the upright stem edges of the tracks 18, while a lower tray 23 is provided with hooked flanges 24 at the upper edges of its ends which hook over and engage with the inwardly-deflected ledges formed by the hooked edges of the tracks 18, so as to be capable of sliding thereon. The trays mounted upon the tracks 18 in this manner are adapted to move with the tracks 18 as they are raised and lowered by the opening and closing of the trunk-cover, so that when the trunk is closed the trays are lowered into the body of the trunk, permitting the cover to close thereon, as shown in Fig. 1, and when the trunk is opened the trays are raised and moved inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, exposing the contents of the trunk to view, as well as presenting the top tray in a position where its contents are readily accessible, and the lower tray 23, by being drawn forward from beneath the upper tray 21upon its sliding support, also presents its contents to view.

Both trays are adapted to keep their normal positions on the tracks 18 by having depending lugs 25 in the upper bent portion of their flanges 22 and 24, respectively, which fit in suitable notches 26, provided in both edges of the tracks 18. By this means the I flanges 22 thereof.

trays are. not liable to accidentally move upon their supporting members, and when the lower tray is returned to its position beneath the upper tray its proper position is readily determined by the engagement of its lugs 25 with the notches 26.

In the construction illustrated by Fig. 6 the track 18 is substituted by track 27, which is similar thereto except that it is L-shaped in cross-section, and the lower tray 23 is provided with a cleat 28, bearing upon the inturned edge thereof instead of having the hooked flange 24 for its support.

In Fig. 7 the track 27 is replaced by a pair of L-shaped tracks 29, with their inturned flanges at different elevations and their upstanding edges secured together, the lower flanged track corresponding with the lower edge of track 27 by slidably engaging the cleat 28 of the lower tray 23, and the upper flanged track supporting the upper tray 21 by having the lower end edges of said tray resting thereon.

l/Vhlle the constructions of supporting means illustrated in the above-mentioned figures have supported the lower tray from its upper edge, it is obvious that the objects of this invention may be accomplished by other means supporting the lower tray from its lower edge, and such means are illustrated in the other figures of the drawings.

In Fig. 8 a track 30 corresponds to the tracks before described, but is straight in cross-section and only serves as a track for the upper tray, which it supports by having its upper edge engaging with the hooked Connecting-rods 31 are rigidly secured to and depend from the track 30 and carry at their lower ends a hooked rail 32, whose inwardly-turned hooked edge supports the lower tray 23 by slidably engaging a hooked flange 33, located on the bottom edge thereof. The link 17 in this construction is preferably pivoted to the top track 30 by being mounted on the same connecting means that connect the connecting-rods 31 therewith and is located on the outside of said connecting-rods, so as not to interfere with them. i

The construction shown in Fig.10 differs only from the construction illustrated by Figs. 8 and 9 in that the hooked track 32 is substituted by a track 34, straight in crosssection and separated from the connectingrods 31 by space-blocks 35, while the construction shown in Fig. 1 1 substitutes for the hooked track 32 of the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9 an angle-iron 36, which slidingly supports the lower tray 23 by said tray resting its lower edge thereon.

The construction shown in Fig. 12 differs from the construction shown in Fig. 11 by having an angle-track 37 in place of the upper stralght track 30 upon the inturned flange on which the upper tray 21 rests.

In all of these constructions the lower tray 23 is normally carried by the folding support for the upper tray 21 directly beneath the upper tray, where it is slidably mounted in order that it may be drawn from beneath the upper tray 21 when desired, but will during the opening and closing of the trunk-cover be carried beneath the upper tray, while the upper tray is raised and lowered with the opening and closing of the trunk-cover.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination with a trunk having a hinged cover, a supporting means mounted to move within the trunk and having connec tion with the cover whereby the opening of the cover will raise the supporting means, and a pair of trays mounted on said supporting means, said supporting means constituting a support for the upper tray and a support for the lower tray rigid in their relations to each other so that the lower tray may be normally held beneath the upper tray immovable with relation thereto during the movements of the trunk-cover but when the trunk-cover is open the lower tray may be moved from beneath the upper tray by sliding on its support.

2. In combination with a trunk having a hinged cover, a pair of links pivoted to each end of the trunk-body, a support carried by each pair of links comprising a pair of supporting-surfaces fixed in their relation to each other, means for connecting the supports with the trunk-cover so that the supports will be moved by the movements of the trunk cover, and a pair of trays mounted on the supporting-surfaces of the pair of supports one arranged beneath the other and immovable with relation thereto during the movements of the trunk-cover but capable of sliding on its supporting-surfaces from beneath the other tray.

3. In combination with a trunk having a hinged cover, a pair of links pivoted to the trunk-body at each end thereof, a support carried by each pair of links and comprising an upper and a lower supporting-surface fixed in their relation to each other, connectinglinks connecting the supports with the cover whereby the supports are raised from and lowered into the trunk-body with the open ing and closing of the cover respectively, a pair of trays mounted on the respective supporting-surfaces of the supports, one tray being positioned beneath the other and immovable with relation thereto during the opening and closing of the trunk but capable of being slid upon the supporting-surfaces of the supports to a position in advance of the upper tray when the trunk is open.

4. In combination with a trunk having a hinged cover, a pair of links pivoted to each end of the trunk, a support carried by each pair of links comprising an upper and a lower supporting-surface fixed in their relation to IIO each other, connecting-links connecting the supports with the cover of the trunk so that the supports will be raised. and lowered as the trunk-cover is opened and closed, a pair of trays mounted on the respective supporting-surfaces of each support, one arranged beneath the other, and means for locking the lower tray to the supports whereby the relation of the two trays to each other is fixed during the movements of the trunkcover, said lower tray being adapted to disengage its locking means, and be moved from beneath the upper tray while the trunk is open.

hinged cover, a pair of links pivoted to each end of the trunk-body, a support pivoted to each pair of links and comprising an upper and a lower supporting-surface fixed in their relation to each other, connecting-links connecting the supports with the trunk-cover whereby the supports are raised and lowered by the opening and closing of the trunkcover, a pair of trays mounted. on the respective supporting-surfaces of the supports, and lugs on the trays engaging notches in their supporting-surfaces whereby the trays remain fixed in their relation to each other during the movements of the trunk-cover, the lower tray being adapted to have its lug released from its engagement with its supporting-surface and capable of being moved on its supporting-surface from its position beneath the upper tray While the trunk-cover is open.

6. In combination with a trunk having a hinged cover, a pair of links pivoted to the trunk-body at each end thereof, a support mounted on each pair of links, connectinglinks connecting the supports with the trunk cover, and a pair of trays supported by the supports, said supports each comprising a track-plate J-shaped in cross-section with a hooked flange on the lower edge of the upper tray engaging its straight upper portion and a hooked flange on the upper edge of the lower tray engaging its hooked lower portion and slidably mounting the lower tray beneath the upper tray.

7. In combination with a trunk having a hinged cover, a pair of links pivoted to the trunk-body at each end thereof, a support mounted on each pair of links, connectin links connecting the supports with the trunkcover, and a pair of trays supported by the supports, said supports each-comprising a 5. In combination with a trunk having a track-plate d shape in cross-section with a hooked flange on the lower edge of the upper tray engaging its straight upper portion and a hooked flange on the upper edge of the lower tray engaging its hooked lower portion and slidably mounting the lower tray beneath the upper tray, and lugs formed on the hooked flanges of both trays engaging notches in the edges of the track-plate.

8. In combination with a trunk having a hinged cover, a pair of links pivoted to the trunk-body at each end thereof, a support mounted 011 each pair of links, connectinglinks connecting the supports with the trunkcover, and a pair of trays supported by the supports, said. supports each comprising a track-plate d shape in cross-section with a strip of sheet metal on the lower edge of the upper tray bent to form a hook engaging the straight upper portion of the track-plate and a strip of sheet metal secured to the upper edge of the lower tray and bent to form a hook engaging the hooked lower portion of said track-plate and slidably mounting the lower tray beneath the upper tray,-and clownwardly-bent lugs formed on each of the metal strips adapted to releasably engage notches formed in the edges of the track-plate.

9. In a trunk having a lid hinged thereto, a folding tray-support comprising a pair of vertically-swinging arms pivoted to the opposite trunk-walls, a tray-supporting member pivotally coupled to the upper ends of said arms, a stay connecting each member with the lid, and suitable formations on the tray-sup )orting members for the support of a second tray beneath the top tray, substantially as set forth.

10. I11 a trunk having a lid hinged thereto, a folding traysupporting frame comprising upper angle-pieces, a pair of vertically-swinging arms pivotally coupled thereto and to the opposite trunk-walls, a linked stay connecting each angle-piece with the lid, and ledges deflected inwardly from the horizontal walls of said anglepieces, and disposed in a plane relatively below said horizontal walls, for the support of a second tray, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. H. VILLMOW.

Witnesses:

ANNA F. SonMrnTBAUER, R. S. C. CALDWELL. 

